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Lets you record all your communications

One of the most important aspects of a complicated issue is keeping a record of all your correspondence regarding the complaint – Resolver does this for you automatically.

Lets you know when to escalate your complaint

If you’re not satisfied with the initial response from the organisation you have an issue with, our escalation process will let you know when you can raise your complaint to the next level of seniority and, ultimately to an ombudsman or regulator, where appropriate.

The garage must give you information, including pricing, to enable you to make an informed decision before deciding whether or not to proceed with the works. You should request a written quotation or estimate and advise the garage the maximum they are allowed to spend without your authorisation. If these procedures are not followed, you should first complain to the manager who should address your concerns immediately.

You should know

Contact the dealer as soon as you notice the problem – in person if possible

If the dealer offers to fix the problem, make sure you understand any costs involved

Keep a record of your conversations and correspondence, and write down anything verbally agreed

If all else fails, you can reject your car as long as you tried to resolve the issue with the dealer first

If you decide to reject the car, you must give the dealer details of your reasons for doing so in writing, and within six months of taking delivery of it

If the dealer refuses to accept your rejection of the car, contact the customer relations department of its manufacturer straight away. They may be able to mediate

Car damaged at the garage

If your car has been damaged while at the garage, take it back straight away or, if you are still at the garage, do not accept the car. Instead, point out the damage to your vehicle and insist that it be fixed. If the garage agrees to repair the vehicle, they only have to put it back in the condition it was in when you brought it into the garage.

If the garage won't do the repairs, get in touch either with the garage’s insurance company, the trade association or through the car manufacturer to help you resolve the issue. If the garage does not accept liability and you have to claim against your insurance, this could affect your no-claims bonus, so check with your insurer.

If you have been overcharged

If you formally dispute the bill, the garage has the right to keep your vehicle until the bill has been paid. This is called having a lien over the car. If you need your vehicle urgently, you should only agree to pay 'under protest'. If you don’t do this, it will be difficult to get the money back later on, as the garage could argue that, by paying the bill, you were accepting the charges. Write the words 'paying under protest' clearly on the repair order sheet, so there's no doubt about your intention. Then gather all the evidence that supports your claim and explain why you are disputing the bill.

Car stolen from garage

Most garages will display disclaimers saying that cars are left there at the owner’s risk. If your vehicle is lost or stolen while it's in the garage, they are only legally responsible for replacing it if they didn't take reasonable care. For example, they shouldn't leave your car unlocked and unattended.

Your protection when buying a car from a garage

If you buy a new car or a used car from the dealer and something goes wrong with it, you’ll have extra protection if you bought it through:

Hire purchase

You have protection under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973. The vehicle should be of satisfactory quality, fit for its purpose, and as described. With hire purchase, it is the finance provider rather than the dealer who is legally responsible to you if there are problems with the car.

Using a credit card

If you paid all or part of the cost of your car by credit card, the card company and the trader may be jointly responsible for compensating you under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Find out more about how you’re protected if you pay by credit card.

Paying cash using a debit card

Although your purchase won’t be covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, you may be able to claim a refund from your debit card provider through a voluntary scheme known as ‘chargeback’. Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and American Express are among the companies that have signed up to chargeback. Depending on the card you used, you’ll probably need to make your claim within 120 days of noticing the problem. Chargeback claims can take some time to process because the card company has to get the money refunded before it can pass it on to you.

Additional assistance

If your issue cannot be resolved, then check to see if the garage is a member of Motor Codes. Motor Codes is the government-backed, self-regulatory body for the motor industry. If the garage is a member, it means the garage has committed to:

Honest and fair services

Open and transparent pricing

Completing work as agreed

Invoices that match quoted prices

Competent and conscientious staff

A straightforward, swift complaints procedure

Look for their logo on the garage's website, or check the Motorcodes website - click here. You can also contact motorcodes on 0800 692 0825. Motor Codes will asses your complaint, and provide advice and assistance. If your vehicle is still with the garage, Motor Codes will contact the garage directly to try and assist.

Raising a case with resolver

resolver will raise the case with the car manufacturer and not the dealership. You should raise the issue with the garage first and then if not resolved send your case to the manufacturer through resolver.

Additional assistance

In addition to Motorcodes other sources of advice includes the Money Advice Service - click here, or contact the Citizen Advice Bureau phone line - click here for details.

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